Quality Assurance in Electron Beam Processing

It is well known that different electron beam machines can provide contrasting performance. In critical applications, such as partial penetration aerospace engine or control component welding, process procedures and parameters are developed to eliminate defect occurrences, normally without an underlying appreciation of the actual beam characteristics and their impact. An improved knowledge of these beam qualities is required to assure quality, enable the transfer of welding or processing from one machine to another, and to ensure day-to-day control of production.

This presentation will provide an update on a robust tool for quantifying & qualifying the consistency of electron beams and acts as a quick go/no-go ‘traffic light’ decision making tool. The system determines actual beam focus settings irrespective of operator perception and accumulates long term process QA data. Not intrusive to welding, the system is now in use on 3 Continents, including at 5 UK production sites and one where durability has been proven in serial aero engine production since 2011.